Goal: To thank Dane County for acknowledging that traveling circuses are not capable of caring for animals properly and to thank them for banning elephant performances in their county.

Dane County, Wisconsin has made the decision to stop allowing elephant performances within its county and will not allow any county-owned facilities to hold circuses anymore. Due to PETA, local members, activists and other animals rights organizations’ hard work, Dane County’s Board of Supervisors found it quite easy to make the decision. It only took 6 months for the efforts of PETA and other organizations to convince Dane County to enact a ban on elephant performances.

It has been documented that almost all traveling circuses are not able to care for their animals properly, and much less for their bigger animals such as elephants. Sadly, it has also been documented that many circus animals are beaten, tortured and even killed due to the cruelty of circus workers. Elephants are too big to be hauled around in trucks or to live in cages all their lives. They quickly become agitated due to the cramped space in cages. They should be able to have their free space with fresh air, not to be forced to live in trucks or cages, and to be forced to perform ridiculous acts just for people’s enjoyment and entertainment.

According to Al Matano, the Supervisor who proposed the ban, elephants deserve to be treated well and do not deserve to be confined to small spaces. In a PETA interview, Al Matano stated: “Elephants don’t belong in trucks, they don’t belong in circuses, and we decided as a county [in 2000] not to keep them at our zoo, because we weren’t able to house them humanely. So having them at our expo center makes no sense. It’s not possible to have elephants in a traveling show and treat them carefully enough.”

It is an amazing thing to have a man like Al Matano on the Board of Supervisors who supports animals and their rights. This country needs more leaders like Al Matano who support animals. By Dane County enacting this ban on circuses within their county, they are setting a good example for other counties to do the same thing and end animal cruelty.

Please sign this petition to thank PETA for all their efforts and to thank Dane County, Wisconsin’s Board of Supervisors for enacting this much-needed ban on elephant performances and for banning circuses within its county. Animals deserve this kind of support from as many people as possible, so by signing you can show your gratitude and show that you care.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Dane County, Wisconsin Board of Supervisors,

I want to strongly thank you for making the decision to enact a ban on elephant performances and circuses within your county. This was a very great decision of yours and the elephants, along with the other animals that are a part of the circuses, desperately needed your help. You are setting a great example by banning elephant performances in your county. Hopefully other counties will become aware of it and follow your lead.

Similarly, I want to acknowledge that Al Matano’s support toward animals is amazing. This country needs more people like Al to be leaders–people who will do the right thing and stand up for animals.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]Photo Credit: Baby Elephant via flickr.com

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